Managing Identity Verification

Identity verification in the Griffin AI network is a fundamental component that ensures the security and integrity of interactions within the ecosystem. The process is based on cryptographic key pairs and tightly integrated with network activities.

Identity verification uses public/private key pairs to authenticate and authorize actions. Each participant generates a cryptographic key pair on joining the network. The private key is securely stored and never transmitted across the network. The public key is registered in the decentralized ID registry and becomes part of the participant's Griffin ID. The public key does not disclose the holder’s identity but enables other participants to verify the authenticity of actions initiated by that holder.

Figure 3: ID Registration and Verification Process

When a service request (for example, to access an AI model) is sent to a Service Provider (SP), the SP must authenticate and authorize the request. The verification and authorization flow is as follows:

1

Signature requirement

Every request sent to an SP must be cryptographically signed using the private key of a Signer. This signature ensures that the request originates from an authentic source.

2

Signature verification

Upon receiving a request, the SP extracts the Signer's public key embedded in the request and verifies the request’s signature against this key. This confirms the request was signed by the holder of the corresponding private key.

3

Identity confirmation

After verifying the signature, the SP consults the Griffin distributed database to retrieve the Root Identity ID associated with the Signer. This Root Identity ID serves as the unique identifier for the user within the network.

4

Authorization and access control

With the verified identity, the SP applies authorization logic. Examples include checking:

• Whether the user holds a specific NFT required for access.

• Whether the user’s account balance covers the service cost.

If criteria are met, the service is provided; otherwise, access is denied.

5

Balance adjustment

For services that involve transactional costs, the SP pre-calculates the request cost and compares it with the user’s outstanding balance. If sufficient, the balance is reduced accordingly to cover the executed service.

This procedure is applied to all sensitive transactions across the network. For example, SPs sign their responses to inference requests using their private keys. The recipient (user or CP) verifies the signature against the SP's public key and confirms the associated Griffin ID—validating the response came from the designated SP.

Combined with a distributed reputation system that evaluates all SPs, this signature-and-identity mechanism enhances SP accountability and increases user trust. The same verification and authorization model applies to other service providers in the network, such as CPs and AI agents.

Related:

• Decentralized ID Registry: https://griffin-ai.gitbook.io/knowledge-base/griffin-identity-management-and-reputation-system/decentralized-id-registry